100 Posts of Solitude

[Xavier Cromartie 0]

31.

Actually, they aren't talking about it at all. Way to low blow your friends over there.

How is it a low blow? I did not present the statement as fact; I wondered. To wonder is to be curious about something uncertain. I was uncertain about whether Real TSMers would return to making comments such as "torpedo their asses"^[1] and "blow them up"^[2] since they knew that I would not see their comments. I am now satisfied because you have provided me with the answer that they have not made such comments.

 

Are they still my friends? As far as I know, only Toryn, Cheech, and objet petit a have spoken out against my exile. Is everyone else either indifferent toward or in favor of the Maffs' suddenly deciding to cut me out of a community that I have been a part of for many years? Why, because I don't think Leena is pure evil? I've felt that way for three years. So what? I still haven't heard the official reasoning for my exile from them. They don't know what happened with the board transition. They've ignored me when I've contacted them privately to discuss things. It's insulting to me that they presume that I lack moral character.

 

...fite me you p..o..s..e..r...

*prays*

 

One gimmick idea I had was Socrates. I'd try to make points with nothing but questions.

 

Forget keeping up with results and checking YouTube. You can easily find free streams of every PPV.

Yes, but I find it difficult to morally justify live streaming an entire PPV.

[DCH 0]

Xavier, are you actually of Somali origin? If so, where do you live now?

[Nightwing 0]

31.

Actually, they aren't talking about it at all. Way to low blow your friends over there.

How is it a low blow? I did not present the statement as fact; I wondered. To wonder is to be curious about something uncertain. I was uncertain about whether Real TSMers would return to making comments such as "torpedo their asses"^[1] and "blow them up"^[2] since they knew that I would not see their comments. I am now satisfied because you have provided me with the answer that they have not made such comments.

 

Are you always this passive-aggressive? You're implying that apparently everything turned to jingoistic racism, which is hardly the case. And taking Agent and Dobbs as the real voice of the CE folder anywhere is the definition of taking things out of context. Agent went more in depth in discussion later in the thread when challenged, and smitty was more than enough to push Dobbs away.

 

Are they still my friends? As far as I know, only Toryn, Cheech, and objet petit a have spoken out against my exile. Is everyone else either indifferent toward or in favor of the Maffs' suddenly deciding to cut me out of a community that I have been a part of for many years? Why, because I don't think Leena is pure evil? I've felt that way for three years. So what? I still haven't heard the official reasoning for my exile from them. They don't know what happened with the board transition. They've ignored me when I've contacted them privately to discuss things. It's insulting to me that they presume that I lack moral character.

 

Again, I know a few of them asked, but it's not like they have power over the all other guys. If you like, I'll vouch for you, too. But get over the bitterness; you'll eventually get in, but the misunderstandings are still fresh in mind. Give it time.

[Xavier Cromartie 0]

32.

Xavier, are you actually of Somali origin? If so, where do you live now?

No, I'm a composite of at least seven European ethnicities. But I live in the Twin Cities, which has a large Somali population. As I learned about and interacted with Somali people, I found that I inherently like and agree with them.

 

everything turned to jingoistic racism

Ok, I amend my original statement to "I wonder if anyone at The Real TSM's discussion on this issue is similarly enlightened." I didn't mean everyone. (Certainly not Myron the Mod!)

 

If you like, I'll vouch for you, too. But get over the bitterness; you'll eventually get in, but the misunderstandings are still fresh in mind. Give it time.

Yes, I would like that. I'm bitter because I feel it's just like the type of injustices that get me stirred up about Somalia, and I'm not assuming that I'll ever be allowed in to The Real TSM. I've been making the transition to another forum. This thread is for me to purge every TSM-related thought and then move on, if necessary.

[BruteSquad_BRODY 0]

Hannah Montana? Really?

[SuperJerk 0]

Are they still my friends? As far as I know, only Toryn, Cheech, and objet petit a have spoken out against my exile. Is everyone else either indifferent toward or in favor of the Maffs' suddenly deciding to cut me out of a community that I have been a part of for many years? Why, because I don't think Leena is pure evil? I've felt that way for three years. So what? I still haven't heard the official reasoning for my exile from them. They don't know what happened with the board transition. They've ignored me when I've contacted them privately to discuss things. It's insulting to me that they presume that I lack moral character.

 

Again, I know a few of them asked, but it's not like they have power over the all other guys. If you like, I'll vouch for you, too. But get over the bitterness; you'll eventually get in, but the misunderstandings are still fresh in mind. Give it time.

 

Fuck them, fuck their board, and fuck their stupid elitism.

 

Once I found out they were picking and choosing members, I didn't even bother to try to sign up. If they're going to act like a bunch of high school girls, I don't want to be apart of that.

 

Groveling for the approval of others, especially people you've never really met, should be beneath you. Your opinions may be a little too far left for me, but you seem like a really smart guy with a lot of intelligent things to say. You don't need them.

 

 

[TheFranchise 0]

SJ, they aren't THAT elitist there.. I mean, they let me in.

[Live Free or Battlenuts 0]

Not being allowed there was one of the only things you have going for you man. Don't ruin that.

 

And I'm pretty sure not accepting other people based on your perception of their intelligence or quality is the definition of elitism.

[TheFranchise 0]

Yes, but their perception of my intelligence and quality is common knowledge.

[SuperJerk 0]

Elitism has its place, say for example when you are hiring people for important jobs and you want to make sure they are competent. Message boards thrive on diversity of opinion, though, and I think you risk losing that when you keep people out over personality conflicts.

 

I think what really bugs me is that you can't even read the forum without joining. It really doesn't make any sense to have a private board if you want your membership to grow.

[FroGG_NeaL 0]

I'm not allowed there because Czech hates me. It makes me feel good about myself that somebody I've never met has such strong feelings about me.

[Xavier Cromartie 0]

Czech represents everything that is wrong with The Real TSM.^[1][2] All of a sudden we need our existence approved by some whiny little jazz band art fag who thinks because he drops $100 words in his posts and owns some obscure 80s modern rock on vinyl that he's above everything.^[3]

 

Hannah Montana? Really?

33. Although bob_barron gets the creepy Disney fan stigma (deservedly for getting Miley Cyrus to sign his copy of Miles to Go^[4]), my posting history tells you that I have some interest in Disney.^[5][6] Certainly I'd never go to a Hannah Montana concert or stand in line for a Cheetah Girls autograph. But, some of the TV shows and films aren't bad. I like the music of Ashley Tisdale and Demi Lovato. (I also want to fuck Ashley Tisdale.) And I like evil Disney bitches like I like heels in wrestling. For example, this video is awesome:

[Bolotov Teh Mear 0]

Czech represents everything that is wrong with The Real TSM.^[1][2] All of a sudden we need our existence approved by some whiny little jazz band art fag who thinks because he drops $100 words in his posts and owns some obscure 80s modern rock on vinyl that he's above everything.^[3]

 

Hannah Montana? Really?

33. Although bob_barron gets the creepy Disney fan stigma (deservedly for getting Miley Cyrus to sign his copy of Miles to Go^[4]), my posting history tells you that I have some interest in Disney.^[5][6] Certainly I'd never go to a Hannah Montana concert or stand in line for a Cheetah Girls autograph. But, some of the TV shows and films aren't bad. I like the music of Ashley Tisdale and Demi Lovato. (I also want to fuck Ashley Tisdale.) And I like evil Disney bitches like I like heels in wrestling. For example, this video is awesome:

 

Really?

 

[Jingus 0]

Hey, Dr Kats, which previously banned poster are you? Apparently we're not re-banning those nowadays, just tell us.

[Bolotov Teh Mear 0]

Hey, Dr Kats, which previously banned poster are you? Apparently we're not re-banning those nowadays, just tell us.

 

Yo.

 

[Xavier Cromartie 0]

Molotov doesn't like me. I never really noticed him. You should be able to perceive the mocking tone in that blog. It documents awkward/sexual quotes.

 

34.

Craigslist manners, and people who don't have them.

 

If you aren't coming to pick up your shit from me for any reason, I don't care what it is, just give me a fucking call and tell me that you're not going to come so I don't have to wait by my phone. 1 minute call.

 

"Hey, Peter BUTT, I'm not gonna be able to swing by. You should probably let it go to someone else. Thanks."

 

Really, that hard for the common courtesy? Assholes.

Agreed, these people are horrible. Two days ago, I listed something in the FREE stuff, and I had (1) someone who didn't want to pick it up and (2) a no-show. Who are these no-show people? Do they pathetically troll Craigslist to set up fake meetings, do they forget the time, do they get lost, or do they just say 'fuck it' without bothering to communicate? In Cromartica, these people would be found guilty of fraud and would compensate all of their victims.

[Xavier Cromartie 0]

35. Since I have no other use for Twitter, I've decided to use it as a micro-blog for Somali-privateer-related topics. And so, I won't be talking about it here anymore.

 

Also, it appears that K'naan (the Somali rapper) has been somewhat receptive to my comments to him about not calling them pirates:

He started putting quotation marks around 'pirates.'

[Xavier Cromartie 0]

36. It's Easter. I'll talk about spirituality. I'm a deist, but I won't get into my beliefs. Let's just say that they are centered around evolution.

 

I've been skimming through Smitty's religion thread. Panthermatt7 and TheBigSwigg are pretty good in it. (Especially compared to Czech's 'I'm above you all' act.) It's pretty much "the Bible says yadda yadda," then it derails until Twisted Intestine asks interesting questions.

 

I think that serious spiritual discussion is rather silly if you're talking about anything but philosophical beliefs. What we're really looking for is the logically sound combination of metaphysics and ethics (the nature of our existence and what we're supposed to do). We should either discuss the arguments made by highly intelligent philosophers such as Augustine, Anselm, Avicenna, Averroës, and Aquinas or present our own ideas. See the last post in the above thread for an example of what I mean.

 

they should stop hiding the fact that members of their clergy like to rape children.

Yes, but the above statement is not a good example of spiritual discussion. Catholic ethics do not advocate raping children.

 

If a=Father, b=Son, and c=God, then a = c, b = c, but a ≠ b? And then there's the Holy Spirit, which nobody can really explain adequately without drooling on their shirts.

This part is much better. It's metaphysical. Why'd you call it off-topic? The problem, though, is that you act as if no one who has lived during the last 2,000 years has thought about these issues. Augustine, for example, meticulously worked on De Trinitate over the course of many years. He attempts to understand the Trinity by looking at trinities within the human mind. (Humans are made in God's image, after all.) In Book X, for example, he discusses the mind's trinity of memory, understanding, and will. I remember, I understand, and I will. They're not the same things, but they unite in one mind.

 

I'm not an expert on the Holy Spirit, but my interpretation is that it is the person of God that is responsible for holiness and miracles in the world. We can understand God and His qualities (love, etc.) through the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit performs miraculous actions such as transubstantiation, supernatural healing, prophecy, and raising the saved to heaven.

[Xavier Cromartie 0]

37.

Anyway, black girls do nothing for me, and there's something about Asian fetishes that's just downright creepy. So clearly, I'm a racist

As I reexamine this quote, I find it somewhat offensive. I understand that Czech isn't attracted to black or Asian girls. I don't have an objection to that part. The key phrase is "Asian fetishes." Isn't the point of a fetish that it's a sexual deviation? Wikipedia defines it as "sexual attraction to objects, situations or body parts not conventionally viewed as being sexual in nature." It's rather dehumanizing to equate sexual interest in an adult Asian with sexual interest in a corpse, for example. I had sex multiple times with my Korean girlfriend. Am I a sexual deviant and "downright creepy" for doing so? I think that having sexual interest in a healthy, adult human female is not creepy at all!

[Xavier Cromartie 0]

38. Post of randomness.

 

Happy birthdays BUTT and Gary Floyd. I wonder how Gary Floyd felt when he realized that it was the Maffs who pretended that he'd become mod of the Music folder.^[1]

 

The fact that the president's disapproval rating is 30% makes the argument that he is polarizing false, and the stipulations placed on the claim to make it sound true are meaningless.

President Obama is called the most polarizing president because of the wide difference in percentage between Democrats who approve (88%) and Republicans who approve (27%).

 

Groveling for the approval of others, especially people you've never really met, should be beneath you. Your opinions may be a little too far left for me, but you seem like a really smart guy with a lot of intelligent things to say. You don't need them.

Thanks. I'd never beg; I want to hear their 'argument' instead of silence. Are they still worried about Leena? She's done with TSM.

 

I think it's my extreme preference for personal freedom that makes my views seem odd.

 

It suck that the board seems to have just stopped. I'm posting at the new one, but it doesn't feel the same. I poke around here, but just don't feel like posting anymore, too many people have split

It's not a party without Xavier Cromartie.

 

"Czech fucked the board."

 

Where this thread is heading:

* More philosophical thoughts

* More critique and analysis of TSM (especially Czech)

* More about me.

[Xavier Cromartie 0]

39. Eddie's post about his TSM friends is an all-time classic. What makes it even greater is that I picture him as Eddie Guerrero, as if he never died. Quoting the whole thing because it's worthy:

 

I made a list of posters I love.

 

Matt Young is such a cool guy. He seems like the guy who wouldn't really be my actual friend but went to the same school and always said hi to me in the hallways while smiling and being just really nice if only for that small interaction.

 

Kotz I see as the guy who I call when I have nothing to do and we talk for hour about random stuff.

 

Bob Barron would be my movie theater friend. We'd make it a ritual to always see important movies on opening day.

 

Jingus would be super really good friend. He'd be my partner, my companion, the one that looks at me all sad in the coffin when I die at age 63.

 

UseTheSleadgehummerUh would be that friend who I say I don't like because I think he's too elite with his knowledge but really I appreciate him and would get really bummed out if he were to move to another city.

 

I'll update the list later....but I really love most of you if not all.

Leelee would be my sleepover friend. We can talk about anything.

 

objet petit a would be the friend who was in my college philosophy classes. We'd hang out on campus together but probably lose contact after we graduated.

 

Smitty would be the "cool professor" whom I talk to outside of class.

 

Toryn would be the friend who always calls about going to clubs or parties.

 

Cheech would be my sports friend. He'd set up flag football games in the park and I'd be there every week. Czech would be there and I'd always line up as cornerback against him.

 

I'll update the list later... but I really love most of you if not all.

[SuperJerk 0]

The fact that the president's disapproval rating is 30% makes the argument that he is polarizing false, and the stipulations placed on the claim to make it sound true are meaningless.

President Obama is called the most polarizing president because of the wide difference in percentage between Democrats who approve (88%) and Republicans who approve (27%).

If the definition of polarizing is "to divide into sharply opposing factions, political groups," then Obama is not polarizing. Opinion is being split according to divisions which already existed before he took office, not because his policies are pushing people into 2 separate aligning groups.

 

Imagine if McDonald's ran an ad campaign stating "only 27% percent of Burger King's customers prefer McDonald's to Burger King." It'd be a meaningless statement and incorrect to say this data somehow represented a flaw in Burger King's product.

[Xavier Cromartie 0]

40. I do not care about this trivial polarization talking point. I will make a related post about how I feel about President Obama. I've been supporting him since 2007. I knew right away that he was the best choice. The 2008 campaign was exciting, and I'm happy that he crushed Hillary. I credit him for getting me much more into politics and economics. (I had mostly ignored them because Bush was so repulsive from day one.) I attended the rally at which he officially clinched the Democratic nomination. I found Dreams from My Father interesting. The philosophical ideas he presented in his speeches were tremendous. The speeches on race, patriotism, and education stand out.

 

Overall, I approve of how he's doing. I'm looking forward to the expanded domestic service opportunities. But, I don't agree with everything that he does. We differ on economic and freedom issues. His marijuana stance is particularly annoying. Above all, I'm angry that he authorized snipers to kill those Somalis. Big mistake, short-term and long-term. And now he seems open to attacking towns like Xarardheere and Eyl. I hope that he doesn't.

[Live Free or Battlenuts 0]

Some people are white, some people are colored, Obama's both! And muslim! He's like a giant unity meatball.

[Czech please! 0]

Elitism has its place, say for example when you are hiring people for important jobs and you want to make sure they are competent. Message boards thrive on diversity of opinion, though, and I think you risk losing that when you keep people out over personality conflicts.

 

I think what really bugs me is that you can't even read the forum without joining. It really doesn't make any sense to have a private board if you want your membership to grow.

The other board doesn't really have a current events folder. Well, it does, but it's not really the same style as the Serious Politics Discussion On The Internet thing we had here, so we figured you wouldn't like it.

[Nightwing 0]

Above all, I'm angry that he authorized snipers to kill those Somalis. Big mistake, short-term and long-term. And now he seems open to attacking towns like Xarardheere and Eyl. I hope that he doesn't.

 

I disagree on the former and agree on the latter.

 

I don't understand how you can be angry at him when it was obviously set up for the best safety of the American captain; he's the US President, and his concern is for the US national that is being held hostage. From everything I've read so far, I think they were justified in making the move they did. The Somalis, whether you call them pirates or privateers, were engaged in illegal activities to make money. Hell, they had even attacked a freighter carrying aid to Somalia from the US; that's not particularly "Robin Hood"-ish. While it might hurt in the short-term, in the long-term it will hurt more if we don't make it unprofitable to be taking these ships hostage. We can improve things in Somalia, but not to the point where it's better than getting million-dollar ransoms.

 

This isn't to say that's the only solution; there needs to be significant improvement and aid from the international community on the ground towards improving the situation to give them something to come back to. Attacking places will not accomplish that, and will only make people more bitter. A two-pronged strategy of improving things on the ground while making it harder to attack ships seems the most prudent.

[Live Free or Battlenuts 0]

Capping three pirates is a lot easier than explaining to the american population why negotiation is the best course of action. After 9/11 we live in a country that, for the most part, equates non-violent action with inaction.

 

And no government can ever condone a robin hood-type vigilantism. The second he dares to sympathize with them every republican near a microphone will be calling him a pussy.

[SuperJerk 0]

40. I do not care about this trivial polarization talking point.

 

I figured you were just trying to be fair by explaining their side, and I don't expect you to defend something as irrational as Republican talking points.

 

[Nightwing 0]

Capping three pirates is a lot easier than explaining to the american population why negotiation is the best course of action. After 9/11 we live in a country that, for the most part, equates non-violent action with inaction.

 

The bigger problem is explaining how negotiation does anything to solve the problem at all. Sure, it might keep things a bit safer for crews who get captured, but it does absolutely nothing to actually stop the problem. All you're doing is help sustain the system that allows the problem to exist. This sort of action was going to be necessary sooner or later if we were to actually attempt to solve the problem. You need to make these people realize that the US will not just let you take their ships.

 

And no government can ever condone a robin hood-type vigilantism. The second he dares to sympathize with them every republican near a microphone will be calling him a pussy.

 

I disagree. You can sympathize with the situation while condemning the actions of the pirates. And I was specifically attempting to point out how this really wasn't "Robin Hood" vigilantism, since they were trying to hold a ship carrying food to Somalia hostage for millions of dollars.

[Xavier Cromartie 0]

41. Nightwing, I will follow up on your post in #42. First, I have something to note about this pirates vs. privateers matter. I contacted Mr. Nasr Ibn Othmann (my Somali writer buddy) in regard to his return to the usage of pirates instead of privateers in his latest article. He gave me an extraordinary response:

 

Thank you for the email. I must say, this is a good question, and I shall attempt to answer it as well as I can.

 

Firstly, with respect to the perceived change, I would like to say that my views about the causes of this phenomenon have not changed in the slightest. The theft of Somali natural resources is the root cause of the mass hostage taking.

 

Secondly, as far as the men who go out to sea—in pursuit of ships to hijack—are concerned, they are not pirates at all. They variously describe themselves as coastal guards, or Somali marines. And, I am prepared to accept their definition.

 

However, in my opinion, these men are purely unlicensed and undocumented privateers. They do not recognise the legitimacy of the so-called Somali government, and, for that matter, they do not recognise the authority of any power that supports the looting of Somali national resources.

 

Finally, on the question of why I have referred to them as pirates in my latest article, I can only say that I am appealing to the human tendency to support a particular brand, or trademark. I am exploring the concept of instant communication. I have come to realise that fame (in this case, fame with respect to a group of men engaged in an exciting activity) cannot be controlled by any single individual.

 

I am quite certain that, one day, the problem of spectacular ship hijackings off the Somali coast shall come to an end. Thereafter, I am certain that this activity shall be romanticised (just like the history of Black Bart Roberts; or the Barbary pirates; or Bugimen of Indonesia; or the Likedeelers of Germany).

 

Piracy is an integral part of human history, and I have come to the conclusion that we sit in moral judgement of pirates because we have become conditioned by the forces of law and order to define outlaws as evil men. Yet, having thought about it for a while, the privateers of Somalia are not outlaws by any reasonable measure. In many cases, they are the forces of law and order in Northern Somalia.

 

Remarkably, these men have become patrons of the arts, legitimate businessmen, and responsible urban developers. It is a shame that the outside world, and especially the Anglo-Saxon world, seeks to condemn these remarkable men. If anything, these men should be praised for their stand against the brazen criminality of the illegal European fishing inside Somali territorial waters.

 

It is with a sense that the world has been inverted, and that black can be called white, that has inspired me to call these men pirates. For if they indeed are pirates (and mere criminals as described by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton), the European, Asian, and other thieves who operate inside Somali territorial waters—with apparent impunity—are paragons of respectability.

 

I hope that this answers your question satisfactorily.

 

Best regards,

 

Nasr

Therefore, as I interpret it, his answer is threefold.

1. His personal belief is that they are privateers, and they may also be referred to as coastguards or marines.

2. They are commonly referred to as pirates, and so he uses that term for ease of communication.

3. But he uses the term ironically/sarcastically, mocking the supposedly 'law-abiding' Western and Asian nations.